MARCH 3 , 2024 – LENT DAY 19 – ST. CUNEGUNDES, EMPRESS.
- St. Cunegunda (1033). (Historical) Empress, wife of King Henry II
- St. Katherine of Drexel (1955). Founder or Foundress, Virgin. (Current)
ST. CUNEGUNDES was the daughter of Sigefride, the first Count of Luxemburgh, and Hadeswige, his pious wife. They instilled into her from her cradle the most tender sentiments of piety, and married her to St. Henry, Duke of Bavaria, who, upon the death of the Emperor Otho III., was chosen king of the Romans, and crowned on the 6th of June, 1002. She was crowned at Paderborn on St. Laurence’s day. In the year 1014 she went with her husband to Rome, and received the imperial crown with him from the hands of Pope Benedict VIII. She had, by St. Henry’s consent before her marriage, made a vow of virginity. Calumniators afterward made vile accusations against her, and the holy empress, to remove the scandal of such a slander, trusting in God to prove her innocence, walked over red-hot plough-shares without being hurt. The emperor condemned his too scrupulous fears and credulity, and from that time they lived in the strictest union of hearts, conspiring to promote in every thing God’s honor and the advancement of piety.
Going once to make a retreat in Hesse, she fell dangerously ill, and made a vow to found a monastery, if she recovered, at Kaffungen, near Cassel, in the diocese of Paderborn, which she executed in a stately manner, and gave it to nuns of the Order of St. Benedict. Before it was finished St. Henry died, in 1024. She earnestly recommended his soul to the prayers of others, especially to her dear nuns, and expressed her longing desire of joining them. She had already exhausted her treasures in founding bishoprics and monasteries, and in relieving the poor, and she had therefore little now left to give. But still thirsting to embrace perfect evangelical poverty, and to renounce all to serve God without obstacle, she assembled a great number of prelates to the dedication of her church of Kaffungen on the anniversary day of her husband’s death, 1025, and after the Gospel was sung at Mass, she offered on the altar a piece of the True Cross, and then putting off her imperial robes, clothed herself with a poor habit: her hair was cut off, and the bishop put on her a veil, and a ring as a pledge of her fidelity to her heavenly spouse. After she was consecrated to God in religion, she seemed entirely to forget that she had been empress, and behaved as the last in the house, being persuaded that she was so before God. She prayed and read much, worked with her hands, and took a singular pleasure in visiting and comforting the sick. Thus she passed the fifteen last years of her life. Her mortifications at length reduced her to a very weak condition, and brought on her last sickness. Perceiving they were preparing a cloth fringed with gold to cover her corpse after her death, she changed color and ordered it to be taken away; nor could she be at rest till she was promised she should be buried as a poor religious in her habit. She died on the 3rd of March, too. Her body was carried to Bamberg, and buried near that of her husband. She was solemnly canonized by Innocent III in 1200.
REFLECTION: Detachment of the mind, at least, is needful to those who cannot venture on an effectual renunciation. “So likewise every one of you,” saith Jesus Christ, “that doth not renounce all that he possesseth, cannot be my disciple.”
WORD OF THE DAY
CHARISMS OF KNOWLEDGE. Extraordinary supernatural gifts for the mind to instruct others in the Christian faith. In the writings of St. Paul six classes of persons are distinguished as specially endowed to communicate the Gospel. These gifts were not limited to the original twelve Apostles and St. Paul, but refer to anyone who is sent out to proclaim the Good News: 1. prophet (I Corinthians 12:28), one who speaks for God and with his authorization. Among the revelations that prophets received were sometimes the prediction of future events (Acts 11:27-30, 21:10-14). They exhorted and strengthened the faithful (Acts 15:32), they edified, encouraged, and consoled (I Corinthians 14:3), and they could read men’s hearts (I Corinthians 14:24-25). This gift was shared also by women (I Corinthians 11:5; Acts 21:9); 2. evangelist (Acts 21:8; II Timothy 4:5), not to be confused with the inspired writers of the Gospels, an evangelist was probably one appointed to strengthen new churches but not to found them; 3. teacher (Romans 12:7); Ephesians 4:11; I Timothy 4:13, 16), an inspired catechist who was able to bring home to his listeners the inner meaning of the Gospel; 4. exhorter (Romans 12:8; I Timothy 4:13; Acts 4:36), a preacher with a special gift to persuade the faithful to put the teachings of Christ into generous practice; 5. proclaimer of wisdom (I Corinthians 12:8), one who could explain the highest reaches of divine revelation; 6. proclaimer of knowledge (I Corinthians 12:8), one who could explain revealed truths by comparison with human knowledge. Most probably the last two gifts were possessed in varying degrees by all the preceding.
Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John Hardon SJ (Get the real one at Eternal Life — don’t accept an abridged or edited version of this masterpiece!)
LENT MEDITATION DAY 19
Enjoy daily meditations this lent from Fr. Richard Clarke, SJ. Short and powerful, written in 1880 for busy lay people to reap rewards through lent. (includes audio) Lent Day 19: The Third Sunday in Lent — In the Palace of Caiphas.
March is St. Joseph
Daily devotionals on Saint Joseph: March 3d — St. Joseph’s Childhood and Youth.
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